ZIMMERMANN, Robert. S.J. Döttingen, Aargau 24.10.1874 — Feldkirch, Austria 8.2.1931. S.J. Swiss Indologist, Missionary and Catholic Priest in India. Son of Josef Z., a barber, and Regina Weber, brother of Otto Z. (1873–1932), a Jesuit and religious author. School in Schwyz. Himself joined S.J. in 1894. in 1900-03 studied philosophy in Valkenburg (Netherlands), 1903-07 theology and English at St. Beuno’s College (Wales), 1908-13 Indology at Berlin. Ph.D. 1913 Berlin. Professor of Sanskrit and Old Indian Philosophy at St.Xavier College of Bombay University, 1914-30, for a while also Director of Bhandarkar Institute in Pune. Returned seriously ill from India in 1930. In India he was among the collaborators of the Critical Mahābhārata.

Publications: Diss. part of Die Quellen der Mahānārāyaṇa-Upaniṣad und das Verhältnis der verschiedenen Rezensionen zu einander. 177 p. Lp. 1913.

– “Logic in the philosophical systems of Sankaracarya and Aristotle”, AIC 1:2, 1919, 287-301; On Śaṅkara and Kant, JBRAS 25, 1922, 187-299; Outline of a comparison between the metaphysics of Aristotle and those of brahmanical sanskrit literature. 1927 (article?).

– Edited and revised Peterson’s Second Selection of Hymns from Rigveda. 314+157 p. Bombay 1922.

– On the critical Mahābhārata, JBRAS 25, 1922, 358-372; other articles.

– “The Identity between Varuna and Ahura Mazda”, AIC 3, 1924, 113-125; “The Evidence of the Ṛk-Text for the meaning of Ṛta”, AIC 5, 1928, 213-222.

– Obituaries of R. G. Bhandarkar, JBRAS N.S. 1, 1925, 294-297 & ZDMG 80, 1926, 328-335.

Sources: J. Stierli in http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D10075.php; D.G.K. 1928/29; JBRAS 7, 1931, 63; JAnthropSocBombay 14:7, 1932, 928; German Wikipedia; photo in Rau 97.